The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-01-26
MINNESOTA LETTER.
M1NNrAPoLIs. Jan. LIST, 1888.

Minneapolis is Justly called the
"hOur city" owing TO her producing
more flour than any other in she
world, but if she did not have that
honor she might we'll be termed the
Lumber city" for her lumber inter
ests are immense. The head waters
of the Mississippi furnish the logs
which are huated here for saving.
The mills are large aud II Of them
have cut the past year 267 million
feet OF lumber, SO million shingles aud
55 million lalh. The logging season
10 the pineries is now 10 full blast
and it is expected the cut will be
about 300 millions. By Tie way, l
went on little deer hunt last month
aud had a chance to learn how they
handle logs 10 Minnesota, for stop
ped two weeks in lumber camp aud
had quite good opportunity to
learn their methods of hauling and
handling the logs. l went to Pine
county on the St. Paul & Duluth Il.
r., and got off at a small lumber town
called Hinckley, aud went out to
friends camp on Grindstone Greek.
The camp is located on the banks of
the stream aud consists of cook house
and dining room large enough to feed
80 men at time, with mems room
and sleeping quarters attached, black.
smithshop, offices, barns for cattle and
horses, store houses. &c. The proprie.
tor employs from 80 TO 40 men this
winter and commenced operations
about the 1st of December, and will
continue as long as snow lasts. He is
former Elk Co, Pa, man, and al
though he is numbering on a small
scale yet | found quite difference in
their methods from those in vogue in
Forest and its adjoining counties. In
the first place the country is more
level and they can haul to better ad
vantage and draw large loads. They
cut their main logging roads free from
brush, logs, stumps, &c, at least 20
feet wide. They use 4 horses for haul
ing, and sleds that track 8 feet, with
II foot holsters. When loaded with
what is called big load of logs it
looks like a moving skidway full. AT
this particular camp the timber is
three and one. half miles from the
buildings each team g g'nerally makes
three trips each day. The men work.
ing in the woods eat breakfast early
enough to enable them to reach their
work by the titne it is daylight. Their
| dinner is sent out to them and is of
course cold except coffee or tea, which
is made over fire built on purpose
At dark they return to camp for sup,
per. Some rf them, especially the
green hands, think seven miles walk
each day besides working from day.
light till dark is pretty tough, but
they soon get used to it, The strea M
upon which they bank aud drive their
logs is about as big as Tubbs Run at
its mouth. 1t runs through natural
meadow from to 20 rods wide and is
very crooked. When a food comes
the stream is 3 or 4 feet deep and thus
gives them water to float their logs
1t is 10 miles to the mill pond and il
takes five to six days for them to land
their logs in the pond. That is not
like driving on the Tionesta when one
could drive that far in day with a
fair stage Of water. My friend gets
$3.50 per thousand for cutting aud
running. He pays from SIS to $40
per month for his help and boards
them. By the way, | lived like a
prince at his camp for he provides
plenty of good food and his cook is a
daisy and no mistake. | never saw a
woman cook that could beat him in
preparing all kinds of pies, cakes,
making coffee, tea, bread, biscuits,
cooking meats, &c. No matter at
what time fellow strikes that camp
if at midnight and he is hungry he is
sure of we'll cooked meal and hot
tea or coffee. ! tried it and know.
suppose some of my old hunting
chums would like to hear about my
success hunting deer, SO here goes: |
was accompanied on my trip by a
nephew of the owner of the logging
camp. We were armed with Keunedy
rifles and other indispensable hunting
paraphernalia. The day We arrived
in camp it was quite warm and the
snow soft, but by morning il had
frozen hard making a very strong
crust but not enough to bear ones
weight, consequently every step one
made was able to be heard by the deer
for 40 rods or more. We soon found
plenty of tracks and routed lots of
deer, but, being strangers to the woods
we did not know their crossings or
runways aud were not enabled TO get
good shots. Once aud a while we
would get glimpse of one just van
ishing; but only glimpse, aud we had
no success for several days. A little
more snow finally fell aud that ena oled
me to get three good shots out of
which | bagged two large bucks aud